Captain's Crusade
by Cheshire6845
Summary: Captain Janeway and some of the senior staff have become Knights.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Paramount/CBS owns all things Star Trek Voyager. I just take them out to play with them.

Author's notes: This story was inspired by a beautiful photo manipulation created by kathiegotagun. It depicted Captain Janeway as a Knight. Thank you so much for letting me borrow it.

Thanks to QS who despite her crazy schedule still managed to beta for me!

This story takes place after the 7th season episode Repression and makes the rest of that season slightly AU. We don't meet Q2 in this story, but we hear about him and his antics now instead of during the episode Q2.

* * *

Captain's Crusade by Cheshire

"Kathy! Wake up!"

Janeway shot up to a sitting position throwing her covers off and reaching for the phaser she kept in her bedside table drawer. "Janeway to Security!"

"Oh, please, Kathy. When will you learn? Now come on, I need you awake."

In a flash of light, Kathryn Janeway found herself sitting on her couch, wearing her uniform, and holding a cup of coffee.

"Q!" She slammed the mug down on the table. "What the hell do you want?"

"Oh do pipe down, Kathy." Q paced in front of her. "I need your help, and your posturing isn't helping the situation."

Clenching her fist, Kathryn took a deep breath to try and regain some semblance of her equilibrium "Q. Why are you here?"

"He's done it again, and if I don't correct the situation before the Continuum finds out, well, it won't be pretty. And since you're his godmother, I assumed you'd be interested in helping me out." Q threw his hands up in the air. "Now are you going to help me or not?"

"What the hell are you talking about Q? Who's done what?" Janeway asked.

"Your godson, of course. Have you forgotten him already? And, what does it matter what he's done? I have to undo it, but I'm going to need your help. You and a few of your people." Q stopped his pacing and glanced around her quarters. "Where are your people?"

Before Janeway could even begin to form an answer, Q snapped his fingers, and the entire senior staff appeared in her quarters. B'Elanna squawked in alarm and disappeared into Kathryn's bedroom before anyone else realized what had happened. Both wearing only boxers, Tom and Chakotay exchanged awkward glances at each other. Janeway put her hand to her forehead. Chakotay had probably been sleeping in his boxers, but considering the brief glimpse she'd caught of B'Elanna's bare backside, the captain assumed the newlyweds had been about to engage in other activities. Tuvok looked unperturbed in his meditation robes, and Harry considered himself lucky that he'd been on duty. Seven wore her customary attire and a look of interest having never before dealt with Q directly.

"Oh, it's you again," the Doctor's acerbic voice expressed everyone's opinions clearly.

"Q!" Janeway snapped in the most authoritative voice she could muster.

His head came up to look around at the gathered crew. His lip curled up, "Eww, look at all that flesh."

He snapped his fingers again, and everyone reappeared in uniform. A snarl could be heard coming from the bedroom, and Janeway shot a look at Tom.

"On it, Captain," he said and braced himself to catch B'Elanna as she came storming out of the bedroom. She was so mad the Klingon curses coming out of her mouth were out of Janeway's vocabulary range, and she had once been told by a Klingon commander that she cursed as good as Picard, who cursed well for a human. Harry and Neelix moved over to help restrain B'Elanna before Q could turn her into a puppy or something.

Chakotay moved to Kathryn's side. "Are you all right?"

"Of course she's okay," Q snapped. "I would never harm Kathy, especially when I need her to help me."

"I'm fine. Q," Kathryn sighed, wanting nothing more than to get this over with, "explain yourself."

"Junior has not become the bringer of peace that we had hoped for, and quite frankly I blame you for this, Kathy. I should've just made you want me, and then Junior could've been our offspring."

"Q," Janeway said in a tone of voice that was clearly a warning. The very idea that Q could've easily _made_ her desire him caused her to shudder.

"You would've enjoyed it, Kathy. I am omnipotent after all. I could have pleased you like no mere biped."

"Q!" Janeway and Chakotay shouted at the same time.

"You want explanations. Fine."

Q snapped his fingers again, and the senior staff disappeared into white light.

* * *

Kathryn Janeway reappeared on a hill overlooking an expansive field of green grass. She felt incredibly heavy, and she looked down to find she was wearing some sort of chain mail armor. Her hands were covered with thick brown gloves, and she wore a bi-colored light brown and reddish brown tunic with an eight point symbol on it. A sword hung from a scabbard at her side, and a ring of sandstone and gold was prominent on her left hand.

"Kathryn?"

She spun around at the sound of her name and heard the spurs on her boots jingle. She stared dumbfounded at her senior staff, all similarly garbed. If that sight alone wasn't enough to alarm her, she realized some of her people were missing. "Where are Harry and Seven?"

"The Doctor and Mr. Neelix are also missing," Tuvok commented, adding to her growing list of concerns.

"Where's Q?" Tom asked.

"Where the hell are we?" B'Elanna added, while swinging a spiked mace back and forth in her right hand.

As concerned as Janeway was for her missing crew, she had to concur that the questions concerning their predicament made more sense than hers did at the moment.

Chakotay stepped closer to her side, a double edged axe resting against his shoulder. "Kathryn, I hate to state the obvious, but we look like some sort of medieval knights."

"Oh, goody. Chuckles saves the day again." Q appeared in his usual flash of light, along with five horses saddled with armor and sporting shields adorned with the same eight point design.

"Q! Take us back to our ship. Now!" Janeway said, moving her hand towards her hip and resting it on the hilt of the sword that hung there.

"Relax, the Borg and the boy are taking care of your precious little ship with your Doctor and pet Talaxian in tow. I need the five of you here to handle things while I find the real queen of Tenal."

"Who is the queen of Tenal?" Janeway asked, feeling slightly relieved that Voyager wasn't without its entire senior staff.

"For all intents and purposes, my dear Kathy," he sidled up to her side. "You are."

"What?!"

"At least until I find Junior." Q began pacing again. "It's not his fault, really. He just found her very intriguing. So he took her away somewhere to get to know her better. I'm sure he's going to bring her back. But until he does, I need you to fill in for her. After all, there is a war going on and her troops need an experienced leader."

"A war?" Tuvok spoke up, and Kathryn did a double take noticing his monk's robes for the first time. Her attention was diverted from the sight by Chakotay's forceful voice.

"Explain, Q. And start at the beginning."

"I don't have time to explain everything, and you wouldn't be able to comprehend it even if I did. Suffice it to say, Junior has found himself in a bit of trouble on more than one occasion with the Continuum."

"Sounds like he takes after his old man," Tom quipped, earning a glare from Q.

"Yes, well I've managed to fix almost all of the holes he's poked in the fabric of space-time."

"Almost?" B'Elanna asked incredulously.

"And I've reset all the primordial gene pools that he's tampered with back to their original states," he stopped pacing to stand in front of Janeway. "This time he's taken the queen away for a conversation, but she was in the middle of a pivotal war for her people. Until I can find her and bring her back, I need you to take her place."

"No. Q. Send us back to our ship. Now." Kathryn told him, cutting off any further protests. "We cannot get involved in this. Not to mention, we know absolutely nothing about this world or its history. We couldn't possibly be expected to win a war. And especially not on horseback!"

"Why can't you just put the world on hold while you look for this queen?" Chakotay asked. "You are omnipotent aren't you?"

"Of course I'm omnipotent, you small little man. But so is the rest of the Continuum. Don't you think they'd notice if an entire world simply stopped?" He turned back to Janeway. "And besides, I just need you to win a battle or two. No one expects _you_ to actually win the war."

"What do you mean?"

"This war is pivotal because the queen's side wins only after she's martyred. It provides inspiration to her people, and they begin a new era of peace."

"Martyred?!" Chakotay practically choked. The axe was starting to feel pretty good in his hands, and he felt like planting it in Q's head. It might not hurt Q, but it would make Chakotay feel better.

"Well, not right away. There's still plenty of time before that happens. I'll be back as soon as I find Junior." He snapped his fingers and disappeared, only to reappear seconds later. "Almost forgot."

He snapped his fingers again and then disappeared again. As soon as Janeway heard his fingers snap, she felt the heavy weight of the armor lighten. She rolled her shoulders and realized the weight hadn't changed at all. She had. She felt at home in the armor and could remember having put it on that morning. The handle of her sword felt comfortable in her hand, and she knew about the knife she kept concealed in her boot. Even her demeanor felt slightly changed. She felt more reckless - or was that enthusiastic?

"What exactly did he forget?" Tom asked.

Wanting to test her theory, Janeway pulled her sword free from its scabbard, testing its weight in her hand. She could remember all the battles she'd fought with this sword. She leveled a look at Tom and swung the sword in a high arc. He jumped back, pulling his own sword free and blocked her attack with ease. He parried with a low cut at her legs. Janeway blocked and locked her blade against his, sliding it up into his guard. They stared hard into each other's eyes and then released.

Tom swallowed, breathing heavily and nodded. "Oh. Right."

"It would seem that while we retain our true memories, we have now been endowed with the memories and skills of people from this time frame." Tuvok commented.

Chakotay ran his hand through his hair and could have sworn it felt longer in the back. "I think we may have more than just their memories."

"And these are our horses and our shields," B'Elanna said, her tone almost reverent as she patted one of the brown animals on the neck. She easily hefted the shield from its saddle mooring and gasped.

"What is it, B'Elanna?" Janeway asked, mentally shaking her head against the thought of calling her engineer by a different name.

B'Elanna turned the shield around where they could see the backside of it. The surface was a shiny reflective metal. As Janeway got closer, she understood why B'Elanna had been surprised. The reflection that stared out at her was definitely not her own.

Kathryn stared into the pale face of a young woman of about twenty years. She had long, dark hair that swirled in the breeze. It was hard to tell in the blurred features of the shield what color her eyes were, but she imagined they appeared even more blue than usual. She understood now why the armor felt more comfortable. It was made for the body she now inhabited. She stepped back so the men could look at themselves. She could only guess that to others they appeared as their reflections, but to each other they looked as they always did.

Attempting to get a handle on the situation, she walked a few steps away until she was standing on the edge of the hill looking over the field. Damn Q for getting them into yet another fine mess. She felt Chakotay join her, and she looked up at his profile. She could still see the lines of his tattoo and the warmth of his brown eyes, but she could also see a hardness there that didn't belong to her Chakotay. She also felt a longing down in the pit of her stomach that she hadn't acknowledged in quite a while, and she had to wonder if that last bit was coming from her or the queen she now posed as.

Kathryn also felt the same inclination as she had when B'Elanna had gasped. Instinctively, she wanted to call Chakotay by a different name. Curious to see his reaction, she quietly spoke the name that so easily came to her lips. "Dagen."

Chakotay's head snapped towards her, his dark eyes narrowing. "Why did you call me that?"

She smiled faintly, and looked up at him, almost seeing his dark hair curl near the nape of his neck. "It feels like your name? Is it?"

He nodded slowly. "But how did you know?"

She shrugged. "Do you know mine?"

Chakotay studied her face. The eyes were the crystal blue they always were, but for a moment her hair seemed darker and longer. "You're the Lady Caitlin."

Kathryn smiled as the sound of him saying that name felt right. He was still staring at her when she turned to look back out over the expanse. Her heart stilled. "We've got company."

Chakotay swore as he saw a group of riders heading for them from across the field. Janeway turned towards her officers. "Let's mount up, people."

* * *

The group of nearly thirty riders slowed with six men breaking rank and closing the distance between the two groups. Kathryn sat astride the only white horse of the group and slightly in front of the others. She'd been impressed with how easily they'd all taken to horseback, considering each of them was wearing several kilos of armor. Tom and Chakotay flanked her sides while B'Elanna and Tuvok stayed further back. The memories and instincts that were not theirs helped them considerably to understand what was expected of them.

B'Elanna was the queen's lady in waiting, but she was no helpless damsel as ancient earth scholars would portray her. This society was centered on a matriarch, and afforded its women equal roles as warriors if they could prove their prowess. Kathryn's alter ego had befriended the daughter of a knight at a young age. Edana, as B'Elanna was known on this world, had remained loyal for all her years and become very protective of her queen and friend. She wore her role of lady in waiting well, but she was also a formidable last line of defense for the queen. Janeway couldn't think of a better person suited for the role.

Chakotay and Tom, or Dagen and Conlan as she had to keep reminding herself, were her sworn body guards. They were knights that the Lady Caitlin had anointed upon accepting the throne. Palace intrigue and a constant desire for the crown among the royal families made trust a difficult concept. The Lady Caitlin had sworn in her older brother's two best friends, knowing they had sworn an oath to her brother on his death bed that they would protect her. On a more personal level, Kathryn was having a difficult time sorting out which were her feelings for Chakotay and which were the Lady Caitlin's feelings for Dagen. On this planet, a queen was not supposed to have love for one of her knights the same as a captain could not love her first officer.

Kathryn had never felt the need for a religious confession in all her life, but Caitlin's reverence for Liam, her priest, was quite strong. She could only imagine Tuvok's response if she began confessing to him all of her impure thoughts concerning Chakotay. That was going to be one behavior of Caitlin's that the captain was going to have to repress. But she couldn't help blushing slightly when Tuvok caught her studying him, and he simply raised an eyebrow in her direction. If he had all of the priest's memories, he already knew full well what she had or had not confessed to previously.

Needing to focus on something else, Janeway studied the six men approaching her position. The banner they carried had the same eight point symbol, but their colors were blue and white as opposed to the browns she and her entourage wore. As the oldest man of the six broke into a grin at the sight of her, she felt a warm sensation spread through her chest and knew Caitlin considered these men to be allies. She glanced at Chakotay and gave him a quick nod, which he acknowledged, but she could tell he wasn't about to drop his guard no matter how Caitlin or Kathryn felt.

When the old man dismounted she did the same, but she was surprised when he took her in a hearty embrace.

"My Queen, we were so worried. We expected you last night." Chakotay's horse nipped at the old man when he didn't immediately release Kathryn. She suppressed a grin as the old man scowled up at him. "Dagen, you barbarian, control your mount."

"Alec, it's good to see you, old friend." Kathryn greeted him as though she'd known him for years.

"Ha, as if you're old enough to have _old_ friends." He took her hand between his. "Now tell me, child. What happened? Why were you held up?"

Kathryn's mind flashed through the arrival of Q in her quarters in the middle of the night. She thought that explanation might get her burned at the stake. "Something unexpected happened."

Alec looked over the small group. "Well, you all seem to be fine, so I guess it wasn't anything too surprising."

Tom snorted, but Chakotay spoke up. "Nothing we couldn't handle."

Alec gave Chakotay a good glare to let him know what he thought of that boast, but ignored him, favoring B'Elanna instead. "Edana, I hope you're keeping these brutes in line around our Caity."

B'Elanna looked mildly surprised at being addressed, but covered it well. "It's a full time job, Alec."

The old man grinned at her and gestured to the contingent of men he'd brought with him. "Let's get you back to the encampment. I'll feel safer once we aren't on such open ground."

"I agree," Kathryn said, and for the first time she thought she'd faltered when Alec gave her a quizzical look, but he just shook his head and muttered something about her having grown up.

Janeway swung up into her saddle and felt a pang of annoyance that she wasn't taking the lead, and again she didn't know if it was her own feelings or Caitlin's. Since she wasn't entirely sure where she was going though, she settled for letting Alec's group point the direction.

As their mounts began to move forward, she could hear Tom mutter, "So far, so good."

"Indeed," Tuvok commented.

* * *

B'Elanna was the first to smell the encampment, and her exclamation caught the Voyager staff by surprise, but it was only moments later when they too smelled the stench of a military encampment. Unaccustomed to that many bodies living together without plumbing, the senior staff all had to hide their reactions as they rode into a tent city that stretched as far as they could see.

All the soldiers they passed stopped what they were doing and placed a fist over their chest as their queen rode by. Unsure how much she should acknowledge this show of fidelity, Kathryn simply nodded as she passed and tried to make eye contact with as many as she could. Tom and Chakotay crowded her horse's hind flanks, but she couldn't blame them for their protectiveness. This wasn't exactly a standard away mission.

They passed hundreds of small tents that were all close to the ground, housing no more than two people in each. Soldiers were everywhere, sharpening weapons, sitting around small fires cooking rations, or taking the time to rest between battles. The sound of swords striking could be heard causing the Voyagers to tense, but they soon saw a small clearing where dozens of fighters were sparring with each other. The small riding party finally stopped in front of two rather large tents situated in the middle of the encampment. As soon as they'd dismounted, three young boys rushed forward and took the horses away.

Displaying more confidence than she felt, Kathryn pushed aside the flap on the first tent and entered with her people right behind her.

"Really, Dagen," Alec complained. "She's safe inside her own tent. She hardly needs you barging your way in here."

Chakotay turned to look at the old man. "Where she goes, so do we."

Kathryn waved her hand. "It's fine, Alec."

She could feel an impatience growing inside her at the lack of knowledge she had about her current situation. She could happily cleave Q in two for the headache that was building behind her eyes. She sat down heavily in one of the only chairs provided in the tent. "Tell me our current situation."

"With everyone here?" The old man eyed the occupants of the room suspiciously, and Janeway had to refrain from demanding that he report.

"We are the queen's council. It would save time for you to inform us all at the same time of our current status," Tuvok stated, causing Kathryn to look up. "The queen needs her rest, and I'm sure you do not wish to inconvenience her."

Alec huffed and crossed his arms. "Since when does her spiritual advisor need to know about troop movements? Shouldn't you be giving blessings to those in need?"

Tuvok started to answer, but Kathryn cut him off. "I will decide who needs to know what, Alec. Unless, of course, you are challenging my authority."

"No, of course not," Alec stammered, clearly caught off guard by her temper.

"Then, please, just…report."

* * *

An hour later, Kathryn was sure her headache couldn't get any worse. Alec had just left after giving them the casualty report, status of their forces, status of the enemy, and his predictions for the next battle. Several times, he dropped hints that he thought she was acting strangely, and even questioned if she was alright. She tried to put it off as exhaustion from their journey, but she still wasn't entirely clear why they had been traveling away from the forces to begin with.

B'Elanna was the first one to break the silence. "This is insane. Q expects us to fight in this battle with only swords and shields, and we don't even know what's going on."

"You are not entirely accurate, Lieutenant." Tuvok gestured to the map. "We at least know what is expected of us now. The situation is unfortunate, but not completely untenable."

"I've never shot a bow and arrow in my life. Today was the first time I've ridden a horse for more than five minutes. And the closest I've come to a swordfight is using a bat'leth, which is an entirely different weapon." B'Elanna got to her feet and pointed at the map. "Not to mention, we are going to be fighting in the middle of a field with no cover. Do not try to tell me that we have a tactical advantage."

"You may never have done those things, but Edana has. Unless I'm mistaken, you are aware of her skills, are you not?" Tuvok countered.

"Yeah, what is that anyway?" Tom joined the conversation. "Half the time, I can barely tell if what I'm thinking is me or this guy Conlan."

"And I thought you'd appreciate a little help." Q appeared in the middle of the tent, and Janeway groaned, knowing her headache was about to get worse. "If you'd prefer, I can take away the traces of your alter egos, but good luck surviving the next few hours…much less the upcoming battle."

That caught Kathryn's attention. "Q, what happens in the next few hours?"

"Oh, just a little attempt on the Queen's life." He shrugged. "Nothing to worry about."

"That's it!" Kathryn got to her feet. "Q, this is ridiculous. This is worse than anything you've done before. I demand you return us to our ship."

"But Kathy, you haven't even fought a single battle yet. Aren't you the least bit curious as to how you'll do?"

"Now!! Q."

"Or what? You'll slap me in irons?" He chuckled at his own comment. "Will you have me drawn and quartered?"

"No," Janeway said quietly, circling closer to Q. "I will order this army to sit here and do nothing. I'm sure the enemy forces will come riding over the hill in the morning, at which time I will surrender. If there is no battle, this will be a very shortened war that will no doubt have very little impact on the history of this world."

Q's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Q looked around the tent to see all the humans looking very smug. He glanced back to Kathryn. "We need to talk."

He snapped his fingers, and Kathryn found herself at the top of a mountain looking down on the darkened camp that was lit only by small fires between some of the tents. She whirled around to see Q standing next to her.

"Kathy…Kathryn, if you sit here and surrender, every single person in that camp will be slaughtered. Including you, Chuckles, your pet Klingon, the Vulcan, and your helmboy." Q pointed out her tent to her as he spoke. "Do you have any idea what that would do to your timeline? Do you really think Harry Kim can get Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant?"

"Then get us out of here."

"I can't. Without the real queen, if I remove you now this entire civilization will fall, and you have no idea how that will affect humanity."

"What?"

"I can't get into specifics, Kathy, but humanity will find itself engaged in a war centuries from now with a species they cannot defeat. The civilization from this planet will be its only hope of rescue."

"You've got to be joking."

Q's jaw dropped. "I would never joke about a matter as serious as this!"

Kathryn glared at him.

"Okay, I would," he recanted. "But I'm not this time. If the Tenalians fail to achieve peace on their planet, humanity will be wiped out of existence six centuries from now."

Janeway fumed silently.

"Come on Kathy, would you rather bring peace to an entire planet or be the destroyer of all humanity?"

Kathryn pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. She sighed. She really and truly had no choice. She lifted her head prepared to tell Q just that, but she found herself back in her tent looking at the confused expressions on her officers' faces. "Looks like we're staying for a bit longer."

* * *

Kathryn lay on a pallet of furs staring up at the top of her tent and listening to B'Elanna's soft snores. Chakotay, Tom, and Tuvok had all bedded down in the front of the tent. B'Elanna and herself took the small area towards the back that was partitioned off with a portion of cloth. It had taken close to an hour for her and B'Elanna to help each other get all the armor and chain mail off. She literally felt thirty kilos lighter.

They were all taking a turn at standing watch, accepting Q's comment about an attempt on her life very seriously. She'd already stood her turn, but she still couldn't get to sleep. She was having an increasingly difficult time accepting the idea that she was supposed to lead this entire regiment into hand to hand combat tomorrow morning. The other presence in her mind was optimistically excited, making Kathryn realize just how young the Lady Caitlin truly was. And yet she knew that the presence in her mind would be crucial if she was going to win tomorrow.

After Q had deposited her back in the tent, the five of them had poured over the map of the valley, using their combined knowledge to come up with a sound battle plan. Caitlin had already planned for most of the battle, and Kathryn was able to recall the details, but Tuvok and Chakotay had thrown in several suggestions that would strengthen them tactically. Despite her misgivings, the idea of a direct fight worked in their favor. She had the details continually scrolling through her mind when she heard whispering on the other side of the tent wall.

Her mouth went dry as she recognized the voice of Alec and several others. She quietly took hold of her sword and glanced to her side to see B'Elanna awake and reaching for a weapon as well. They both quietly moved into the front chamber of the tent, rousing Tuvok and Tom. Chakotay was already on his feet, questioning Kathryn with his eyes. She held a finger up to her mouth, indicating he should stay silent. As they listened, they heard the sound of cross bows being locked into place. The next moment the silence was shattered as half a dozen bolts tore through the fabric of the tent and impacted the area where Kathryn had been lying.

Chakotay, Tom, and Tuvok silently slipped out of the front of the tent while Kathryn quickly crept back and lay down on the pallet as best she could. One of the holes in the fabric was being torn further open, and she could hear whispering.

"We got her."

"Can you see her?"

"Too dark. I can barely see her."

"We need to make sure."

"Go around through the front and check."

Janeway held her breath, listening with every fiber of her being. She knew B'Elanna was concealed in the dark corner, waiting to fire, and the others should be surrounded by now. She heard a man's grunt outside the tent at the same time that she heard two sets of booted feet in the front area of the tent.

"Clear." Tom's whispered voice reached her, and she quietly scrambled to her feet to help B'Elanna. Janeway watched as a torch traveled along the outside of the tent and she heard the two men in the front of the tent stop moving. Chakotay walked in through the flap with his sword drawn and the torch held high, illuminating Alec and one of the other men from the day's greeting party.

Alec laughed and said, "You're too late, Dagen."

"Actually," Kathryn's voice cut through the night, startling the two men as she emerged from the back chamber, "it's you who are too late."

Alec turned on her preparing to hurl a dagger at her, but B'Elanna was quicker, and the dirk was knocked from his hand. The other man threw his sword at Chakotay's feet. Kathryn could tell from across the tent that Chakotay was barely restraining himself, and she had to wonder how much of that was Dagen. But she had to agree either way. This was entirely too close of a call. The small part of her that was Caitlin was more distraught at the betrayal than the actual danger.

Moving several steps closer to Alec, Kathryn asked, "Why?"

The kindly old man from earlier in the day was gone. Alec spit at her feet and scoffed. "What makes you a queen? You are nothing but a child. A child that's waged a war for three years, causing countless deaths and accomplishing nothing."

"I want the best for my people." Kathryn could hear her own voice, but she felt the emotional resonance of the young queen. "This war has always been about bringing ever-lasting peace to our lands."

"You were raised to be a warrior, Caitlin. I was there. Just as I've always been there, and I've seen you kill hundreds on the battlefield." Alec's voice was practically a hiss. "This war may have started out in the name of peace, but you've lost your way."

"And so you try to kill me in my sleep?" Kathryn's voice was hard, and she could feel B'Elanna and Chakotay's eyes on her as well as Alec's. "What would have been gained by my death?"

Alec remained silent.

Kathryn moved closer to him. "Tell me."

"Why should I?"

"Because I just might choose to believe you."

Alec regarded her closely. "If you're dead, this regiment will not go into battle tomorrow without its queen."

"Go on."

"As long as the regiment surrenders its weapons, Lord Buchanan will not harm anyone. Peace will be achieved without bloodshed."

Realization flared in the pit of Kathryn's stomach at the enemy commander's name. She remembered now why she and her small entourage had been away from the encampment. Lady Caitlin had arranged a meeting with Lord Buchanan to work out an alliance that would've ended the war. Kathryn glanced up at Chakotay and remembered that it was only because of Dagen she'd managed to escape the meeting with her life. Buchanan had been less interested in peace and more interested in stripping her of her virtue. That, too, had been a close call.

Caitlin was shaken, but Kathryn was furious on her behalf. "You are a fool, Alec."

She jerked her chin towards the door, and Chakotay and B'Elanna immediately pulled the two men to their feet, herding them out of the tent. As soon as the tent emptied, Kathryn sat tiredly at the small table that served as a desk. She closed her eyes and began to examine all of Caitlin's memories of different battles. There were too many to count, but she could find no truth in Alec's words. In every instance, Caitlin had met with the leaders beforehand and tried to initiate peace. Most demanded all of her land in return, and when she refused they simply tried to take it. Some of them demanded her body as the price for peace, but she'd known it would never have stopped at just her body.

"Captain?" B'Elanna's voice broke her out of Caitlin's memory. "Are you all right?"

Kathryn smiled tiredly. "The past several years have been long and hard, haven't they?"

"Are you asking your chief engineer, or are you asking Edana?"

"I'm asking my friend."

"Well, in that case, I can tell you that although there have been some rough times, I've always had complete faith that we were trying to do the right thing."

Kathryn nodded her thanks and leaned her head against the back of the chair, closing her eyes. "So who answered me? My chief engineer or Edana?"

"Your friend."

* * *

I'll update daily until it's all posted. Thanks for reading. :)


	2. Chapter 2

_For disclaimers and author's notes, please see part 1._

* * *

"If you are requiring absolution, I would be pleased to offer it."

Tuvok's voice startled Kathryn out of her reverie. The sun had barely broken over the horizon, but she was already dressed in her full chain mail and tunic. Sleep had been out of the question after last night's events, so with B'Elanna's help, she'd dressed and walked among the encampment. Chakotay had been with her most of the night and watched over her still, but they'd said very little to each other.

As the dawn broke, Kathryn had given in to Caitlin's impulses and gone to one knee to offer a prayer. She hadn't known what to say, but she'd taken her sword out and leaned her head against the cool of the handle. It was in this position that Tuvok found her.

Keeping her sword in her hand and not bothering to stand, she looked up at her old friend. "Do I need absolution, Tuvok?"

"Of course not, Captain." He offered her a hand up. "But Liam's _katra_ insists that the Lady Caitlin might."

Kathryn accepted his help, feeling the weight of the chain mail settle on her shoulders. "Is that what you think this connection is? Do we have their _katras_?"

"We have more than their memories and less than their souls. It is the closest approximation I can decide upon."

"Works for me," Kathryn said, slapping a hand on his shoulder. "Where will you be during the battle?"

"I am still your chief of security. My place is at your side."

Kathryn raised an eyebrow. "How does Liam feel about that?"

"What he feels is irrelevant," Tuvok said. "However, as a concession to his beliefs I will carry only a staff and attempt to deliver non-lethal strikes."

Kathryn bit her lip, uncomfortable with how exposed that could leave her friend. "Tuvok, once we're on that field, the time for half measures will be over."

"Captain, I will carry only a staff into battle." Tuvok steepled his fingers together. "However, once the battle has begun, I am sure I will have ample opportunity to acquire a weapon if one is needed."

Kathryn's half smile appeared at her friend's logic, and they walked together towards their tent. It would be the last peaceful moment of the day.

* * *

Kathryn hit the ground hard and felt all the air rush from her lungs, but she couldn't take a moment to catch her breath. She rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the axe blade that sank into the ground where her head had been moments before. She swung her shield hard, knocking the legs out from beneath her attacker and sending him to join her on the ground. She got to her feet and ran him through with her blade. Pulling her sword free, she immediately began looking for her next target. There were plenty to choose from.

The battle had been raging for several hours. After both forces had formed up, the official envoys were sent to the middle of the field to meet. Kathryn sent Chakotay, along with two of her generals. An hour later, they returned with nothing new to report. Buchanan still wanted the Lady Caitlin as well as her lands in exchange for a truce. Two hours later, the battle had begun in earnest as all the soldiers not taken out by archers had finally closed ranks enough with each other to begin fighting. The soldiers had of course been led into battle by none other than their queen.

Kathryn hadn't given any rousing speeches, but the men had cheered her arrival as she'd traveled through the ranks to the front lines, clearly heartened simply by her presence. Her senior staff followed close behind her, allowing their own feelings of loyalty to mingle with those of the army they now semi belonged to. She'd taken the reins of her mount and led the men from the front - as she'd always been taught at the academy and just as Caitlin had done instinctually.

As she swung her sword around to block an oncoming soldier's high attack, Kathryn had no idea how the battle was actually progressing. She knew only her next block. Parry. Cut. Slash. Thrust. She'd lost count of the injuries she'd inflicted as well as how many times she'd fallen. She did know she'd lost three mounts, the last one being the first time she'd actually been knocked to the ground by a direct blow. If she'd had the time, she would've noticed that last hit had cracked some ribs. A full hammer swing to the chest will do that no matter how much armor one wears. She feinted a fall to the left and brought her sword up under the guard of her attacker. His weapon slipped from his limp hands, and Kathryn pulled her sword free, stepping past his falling body.

Several fights and two bruises later, Kathryn slumped to the ground next to Tom and almost on top of Chakotay. She gave him a wan smile and scooted over until she wasn't touching him. They'd finally reached the middle of the battlefield, and the only reason she knew this was because of the small patch of trees and scrub brush that jutted out from a small creek bed that she was now able to rest behind. The small haven marked the halfway point on the map they'd studied last night.

"Where's Tuvok and B'Elanna?" she asked, squirming around to look for them. It had been impossible once the fighting began to keep track of everyone. The best she'd been able to do was to catch glimpses of her officers throughout the day, and yet they'd all saved each other at some point from an oncoming attack or an unseen foe.

Tom gestured at the other side of the small creek. "They're up there, Captain. Tuvok has fared the best of us all; it seems no one wants to hit a priest even if he is wielding a sword."

Kathryn noticed a bandage around his wrist bulging out from under his chain mail. "Tom, are you hurt?"

"Took a hit hard enough to break my shield; unfortunately it broke my wrist as well." He barely glanced down when he answered, and she got the impression Conlan considered it a paltry wound.

A squire pushed a water bowl into Kathryn's hands, and she eagerly drank all of the contents. She frowned, thinking about Tom's injury, but it didn't seem to be slowing him down, and there wasn't anything more to be done about it anyway.

"It's going to be dusk soon. The fighting will stop until tomorrow. We should gather the forces and hold what we have," Chakotay said, accepting his own ration of water as well.

"I agree. This creek bed seems as good a place as any, and the men will be able to have cover." Kathryn glanced up from her position towards the rest of her forces on the other side. "But let's keep it from that side, so we have it behind us."

Word passed down the line, and signals were flashed to the troops in front of them to hold in place. On the queen's signal, the group pressed forward all together, reaching the other side of the creek with only a few small skirmishes. They now held an advantage, and a cheer went up from the men all along the creek.

"We'll hold here for the night. Send an envoy to the other side; let them know they can retrieve their wounded," Kathryn instructed the soldier serving as a runner. "Have our soldiers do the same and get the wounded back to the encampment."

"Aye, Ma'am."

Tom grinned at her as the soldier hustled away. "Guess you haven't told them yet that you prefer to be called 'Captain'."

She shushed him as one of the nearby soldiers gave her a puzzled look. With the immediate fighting coming to an end, Kathryn's adrenalin was wearing off, and she was beginning to feel all of the day's aches and pains. Breathing had been painful ever since she'd been hammered off of her horse, and she wondered if there was anything Tom could even do for broken ribs.

B'Elanna and Tuvok had finally joined them, and Tom had been accurate in his assessment. Tuvok barely had a scratch on him, while the rest of them were covered in blood, gore, dirt, and grass. B'Elanna was walking with a limp, and Chakotay had a bloody bandage tied around his upper arm, but they were all still alive. And for that Kathryn was grateful as she looked around at the death that surrounded them.

Men from both sides lay where they had fallen. She watched solemnly as bloodied soldiers leaned on each other, slowly making their way to the rear. She didn't want to think about how many injuries she'd caused today. How many men wouldn't be returning home because of her hand? She could feel Caitlin's presence stirring in her, and she felt like the young queen was giving her support.

Three meters from where she stood she could hear moaning. She turned to see one of her soldiers stirring on the ground, with no one around to help him. She moved towards him and got him turned on his back. He looked like he had taken a hit to the side of his head and been knocked unconscious. He was waking up now, and he looked extremely startled to see his queen helping him to his feet. Kathryn handed him off to a younger soldier and shook her head at his amazement. What did he think she was going to do, leave him there?

"Kathryn! Look out!!"

Chakotay's voice cut across the relative quiet of the creek bed, startling everyone. Kathryn felt like she was moving in slow motion as she turned to see a wounded enemy soldier aiming a cross bow directly at her. His hand was trembling, but he was no more than two meters away. She knew Chakotay and Tom were rushing towards her, but she also knew they would be too late.

She felt the impact of the bolt spinning her as it pierced her armor. Kathryn dropped to her knees as Chakotay rushed past, brandishing his sword. Tom skidded to a halt in front of her, his knees sinking slightly in the moist dirt of the creek bed.

"Captain?"

Kathryn felt hands on her, supporting her, and she could see B'Elanna's concerned face near hers. She looked down and saw the feathered end of the bolt protruding from her left shoulder. She felt like laughing and didn't know if the relief that it wasn't a fatal wound was hers or Caitlin's. It didn't really matter in the next minute when the shock passed and the pain began sweeping over her like a hot wave.

She groaned and ground her teeth. Her hand clamped onto B'Elanna's arm and held on tight as she sucked in air through her clenched teeth.

Tom's voice penetrated the haze she felt herself falling into. "We've got to get her back to camp and get this arrow out."

"No." Kathryn managed to gasp out. "Treat….me….here."

"Captain." B'Elanna's voice was worried. "This is no time to be stubborn. We're sending all the wounded back."

"Get…it….out…of me."

"We will." Chakotay's voice was in her ear, and she felt herself being swept off the ground. He cradled her close to his chest and strode towards his horse. "But we're going to do it back at the tent."

Kathryn was about to argue, but her voice was cut off when he jostled her shoulder as he got into his saddle. She gasped, and he looked down at her, worried. She knew this was one argument she wasn't going to win as she saw the naked determination and fear in his eyes. She was growing lightheaded, and she felt Caitlin smile as the features of Dagen became very clear just before she passed out.

* * *

"She's a queen," a voice whispered. "She needs to be treated as such."

Kathryn's shoulder felt like it was on fire.

"What does it matter who she is? There's only one way to treat her."

"She's a lady."

"Don't tell her that."

Kathryn recognized the last voice as B'Elanna's.

"We can't just pull the arrow out," the voice continued, ignoring B'Elanna's comment.

"What do you suggest we do? Wait for her to bleed out?"

Kathryn felt Chakotay's anger rush over her like a warm blanket. She finally opened her eyes and saw B'Elanna next to the pallet with Chakotay and Tom near her feet, arguing with what she presumed was the regiment's doctor. Tuvok stood on the other side of her and simply raised an eyebrow when she opened her eyes. She hadn't heard him weigh in at all, but she could only imagine one way of getting an arrow out of her shoulder and assumed he'd come to the same conclusion.

"Gentlemen." Her voice was little more than a croak, but silence fell in the tent as though she had shouted. The physician immediately bowed and refused to look directly at her. Not for the first time, she really wished the EMH were with them. "What's my condition?"

Chakotay threw a nasty look at the doctor before kneeling next to her. "The arrow is embedded deep in your shoulder. We need to push it through and break off the tip. Then we have to pull the shaft out."

She held his gaze and knew as well as he did how much this was going to hurt. She gave him a nod. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

Tuvok cleared his throat. "The 'doctor' does not believe you will survive the treatment because of your delicate nature."

Kathryn saw B'Elanna cover up a smile. "You mean because I'm a lady."

"Precisely."

Kathryn pursed her lips and then addressed Tom. "Conlan, can you do it?"

Tom's face paled, but he gave her a solemn nod.

"Good. Doctor, if you'll excuse us."

The physician began to stammer about why this couldn't be done, but faced with the captain's best glare coming from his queen he quickly fled the tent.

"Alright then people," Kathryn said. "Let's do this. Get me up."

Tom set about fetching bowls of water and rags to use as dressings, while B'Elanna helped Kathryn up into a sitting position. It was the first time she noticed they'd already removed her chain mail, and she vaguely wondered how they'd managed it. Tom handed Kathryn a strip of leather and began sharpening a small knife. She stared at the piece of leather and glanced up at Chakotay.

"It's for you to bite down on, Kathryn," he told her solemnly.

She swallowed tightly. "Right."

Tom cleared his throat from behind her, and she felt his hands tear at the material of her shirt. "Captain, I'm going to cut your skin as Tuvok pushes the arrow through. Then I'll break off the tip, and he'll pull the shaft out. We're going to do it all as quickly as possible. Hopefully, that will make it easier for you."

She didn't really think any of this was going to be easy. B'Elanna and Chakotay were bracing her on each side, and Tuvok was positioned in front of her. She spoke around the piece of leather gripped between her molars. "Do it."

* * *

Kathryn moaned as she tried to sit up. She couldn't help it. The throbbing in her shoulder was almost overwhelming, even though it was nothing compared to the pain she had gone through earlier. The entire removal process had been excruciating. She knew she'd left teeth marks in the leather, and she hoped she hadn't actually damaged B'Elanna's hand. The pushing had been the slowest, most painful part, but when Tom had broken the arrow, the sharp, searing pain that had jolted through her body had broken her control. She'd screamed deep in her throat, keeping her teeth tightly clenched. After that, she could dimly recall seeing the arrow in Tuvok's hand as he leaned away from her, but she'd already been well on her way to passing out at that point.

Gentle hands were on her now, pushing her back down. "Take it easy, Kathryn. Stay still."

She smiled when she saw Chakotay's concerned face in the dim firelight filtering in from the front of the tent. "How long….how long was I out?"

"Only a couple of hours," he said, offering her some water. "It's still the middle of the night."

She lay back down on the pallet and waited for the tent to stop spinning. "How is everyone?"

He chuckled quietly. "We're fine. Only minor injuries. As usual, it's just our captain we've been worried about."

She reached up with her good hand and caressed the bandage tied around his arm. "Only minor?"

"Nothing a dermal regenerator wouldn't fix."

"I'd be willing to trade a lot of latinum for one of those right about now."

"You and me both," he sighed.

"Did you let the camp doctor know I survived?"

Chakotay nodded. "Word spread like wildfire."

"Good. That'll make tomorrow easier."

"Tomorrow?" Chakotay stared at her. "What are you planning to do tomorrow?"

Kathryn turned her head to stare back at him. "We're in the middle of a battle. What do you think I'm planning to do tomorrow?"

"You're hurt, Kathryn."

"So are you."

"That's different."

"How?"

"My injury isn't life threatening."

"Technically, neither is mine."

"This isn't some holodeck program that we can just turn off. We can't just beam you back to sickbay and have the Doctor heal you. You could have died."

"You think I don't know that?" Kathryn rose up on her good side, not even bothering to hide her grimace. "I'm the one that feels like my arm was ripped off and then sewn back on. I am well aware that this is not a game."

"It is a game! It's Q's game, and he's going to get you killed." Chakotay took several deep breaths in an effort to calm himself. "How far are we going to go with this? You heard Q, the queen gets martyred. I don't intend to just sit back and let that happen to you."

Kathryn felt a cold pit grow in her stomach, and she cursed Chakotay for his words. Whatever part of her that was Caitlin had heard him, and the young woman's hopes at living a peaceful life crumbled. Kathryn glared at Chakotay, but was put off by the look of sorrow on his face.

"And now Dagen knows too, I suppose," she said bitterly.

Chakotay nodded, looking ill.

"When the enemy looks across that field tomorrow, they will see the banner of the queen flying on the front lines of her army. And I will be there, and those soldiers out there will follow their queen as she leads them into battle."

"Kathryn," Chakotay spoke quietly, "you _aren't_ their queen."

She lay back down on the furs and stared up at the ceiling. "I'm the only one they've got."

* * *

"You've really done it this time, Kathy."

Q's sudden appearance in the tent that morning caused B'Elanna to jump slightly. She'd just finished tying Kathryn's tunic in place over her hastily repaired armor, and they were attempting to put the captain's arm in a sling when they heard the condescending voice.

"Q, unless you're here to bring us home," Kathryn said with a sigh, "I'm really not in the mood."

Q began to pace, but his lip curled in disgust at the bloody discarded bandages in the corner. He glanced back at the two women. "Are you injured, Kathy?"

"Oh, it's nothing Q. I just got shot with an arrow yesterday, that's all," she told him, her voice thick with sarcasm.

"Really?" Q actually looked impressed. "What happened?"

"You!! You happened Q!!" Janeway snapped, stepping past a startled B'Elanna. At the sound of Kathryn's raised voice, Chakotay and Tom pushed back the curtain, prepared to enter the small portion of the tent, but their captain didn't even notice them as she continued to berate Q. "You threw us into this hell, and we had to fight in a battle yesterday. With swords and armor. And arrows! And why did we have to do that? Because of you, Q! All of my officers got injured, as well as me. Not to mention how many people's lives we took yesterday. This isn't remotely amusing anymore, Q! You could've gotten us all killed!"

Q actually looked concerned for a moment as he surveyed the humans crowded into the tent. He'd actually come to like most of them, but he quickly pulled his mask of indifference back in place. "I don't know what you're complaining about; you're all still alive aren't you?"

Kathryn roared in frustration, pushing her way past Tuvok and into the larger part of the tent. They all slowly followed her with no one wanting to be the one to draw her wrath, including Q. She paced to the entrance and back. The ribs that Tom assured her were indeed broken ached with every breath she took, and for that reason alone she tried to calm herself. When she turned back to Q, it was with a barely controlled fury. "Why are you here, Q?"

He considered making a comment about finally getting back to his problems instead of those of mere mortals, but the look on her face made him wonder about the true invulnerability of a Q. He opted for a bit of caution instead. "I found the Queen."

"It's about time," Tom exhaled with relief.

But Kathryn continued to regard him warily. "Then why isn't she here?"

She knew him a little too well. Q was shocked when he couldn't hold her eye as he spoke. "She doesn't want to come back."

Kathryn's stare turned glacial. "I don't care what she does or does not want to do. A Q took her out of this place. A Q better damn well put her back."

"It's not my fault," Q protested, and threw a nasty look at Chakotay. "I'm not the one that let her know she was only coming back here so she could be killed by that brute Buchanan."

The silence in the room thickened and grew as cold as Kathryn's expression. She took several steps toward Q, placing herself within centimeters of his face. "I beg your pardon."

"The martyring of the queen," Q actually stammered. "Takes place tomorrow."

Before anyone could respond, one of the queen's generals entered the tent. "My Queen, the forces are formed and stand ready to continue the fight. Shall I give the order, or will you be taking your place with us?"

Kathryn glared at Q, who was now dressed as a royal, before nodding to her general. "I'll be out momentarily."

The general bowed and backed out of the tent.

"Fix this Q. Now!" She hissed in a whisper. "Because I have no intention of getting killed today or tomorrow. This kingdom will just have to accept peace with a queen that is alive!"

Kathryn turned away from him and stormed out of the tent, accepting her sword from B'Elanna with her good arm. The men filed out behind her, leaving Q standing alone in the tent. A small smile crossed his face, and he disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

Watching the battle from afar was annoying as well as nerve wracking. Janeway sat astride her mount, with Tuvok and B'Elanna flanking her. They had remained at mid-field while the fighting pushed ever forward. Kathryn had had every intention of continuing to fight using just her good arm, but after mounting her horse and riding to the front, she'd relented and agreed that she would stay near the rear. Despite keeping her arm in a sling to minimize her shoulder's movement, the short ride had been excruciating. Tom and Chakotay had continued to lead the men on the ground, causing no end of worry for Kathryn or B'Elanna, but she couldn't realistically pull two of the queen's best knights off the field of battle.

Their side was doing quite well in the fight. They'd continued to push forward with Buchanan's men continuing to fall back, but it didn't mean they hadn't taken casualties. Three times, Janeway had spurred her mount forward into a knot of fighting soldiers and added her sword, evening up the odds and allowing her men to regain momentum. Each time had taxed her considerably, with B'Elanna actually having to reach out to keep her in the saddle the last time, but if she'd saved any lives, it had been worth it. Just as it had been worth it to walk amongst the soldiers this morning, letting them see their queen fight on despite being wounded.

Kathryn saw Tuvok stiffen beside her, and she looked up to see a lone rider approaching them. He wore the colors of the Buchanans, but he also carried a messenger's pouch. Once he got close enough, he began to speak without even dismounting. B'Elanna growled and brandished her mace, encouraging the messenger to show the queen some respect. Janeway couldn't help sending B'Elanna a sidelong glance as the messenger dismounted and walked closer to them. B'Elanna only shrugged sheepishly.

"Your highness," he acknowledged, bowing as he spoke, but there was a distinct tone of condescension to his voice. "The Lord Buchanan requests an end to the day's fighting. He requests a personal meeting with you at midday tomorrow to discuss his surrender."

Janeway felt a flutter in her stomach and exchanged a glance with Tuvok. This had to be it. This was the way Lady Caitlin would be killed. Under the guise of peace. "You may tell the Lord Buchanan that I will meet him at midfield with one condition. No weapons."

The messenger bowed again, but not before Janeway saw the slightest smirk on his face. He backed away three steps and then mounted his horse and rode away.

"You will be riding into a trap, Captain," Tuvok stated. "What is your plan?"

"There aren't too many places to hide a sword or a cross bow. You'll ride with me, and unless he is truly unarmed, I won't meet with him," Janeway said, turning her attention back to the battle that was still ongoing. "I'll wear my armor. The only thing that can penetrate it is a weapon fired at close range, so even if he has bows trained on me they should be far enough away."

"I don't like it, Captain," B'Elanna contributed. "That messenger didn't seem surprised by your demand for no weapons. They're up to something."

"I agree," Janeway nodded. "But if meeting with him can prevent another day like today…"

She trailed off. They all knew that a meeting with Buchanan wouldn't prevent more bloodshed, it would only signal the beginning of the end.

* * *

After securing a promise from Janeway that she wouldn't go riding off to find a fight, Tuvok headed to the encampment so that Liam could offer prayers for the wounded and dying. Janeway found it laughable that he thought she would go looking for a fight. She was so exhausted it was taking everything she had to remain upright in her saddle. She wanted nothing less than to go back to the tent, remove her armor, and lie down until Q returned them to Voyager. She'd happily give up Caitlin's kingdom for a bathtub right about now.

B'Elanna gasped, startling her out of her weary introspection. Kathryn glanced up to see three horses galloping towards them. One of the horses was riderless. Caitlin immediately recognized Dagen's colors on the horse without a rider, and though she'd been subdued for most of the day, Kathryn could feel the young woman's fear resonate in her chest. She and B'Elanna spurred their horses to meet the riders, and as they closed the distance they could see one horse had two riders. Tom was clutching an unconscious Chakotay in front of him.

"What happened?" Kathryn yelled, as she and B'Elanna turned their horses to run with the others towards the encampment.

"We were surprised by a small band that didn't want to give up the fight," Tom answered. "They managed to get five of us. Dagen wasn't with me at the time, but he came up on the group's flank and took them by surprise."

"Sir Dagen surely saved us all M'lady," the other rider commented, reminding Kathryn that this was not a private conversation of just her senior staff. "But he took a shield to the head. It was an awkward move. I was shocked he didn't see it coming."

"We all get surprised at some point," Kathryn defended. It may have been an old move to Dagen, but to Chakotay it had obviously been unexpected. It worried her that Tom looked concerned. "Is he all right?"

Tom slowed his horse as they reached the edge of the tents. "I don't know, Captain. There's no way for me to tell."

The other rider glanced at B'Elanna and mouthed the word 'captain' in question. B'Elanna made up an excuse. "Her brother used to call her that."

The rider nodded his understanding. It was widely known that the queen's bodyguards had been good friends to her brother. "I need to go check on the men."

Kathryn barely acknowledged him as he turned away. Having seen them ride in, Tuvok met them at the tent and helped Tom get Chakotay inside where they were able to lay him on the pallet. Between Caitlin's emotions for Dagen and her own feelings for her first officer, Kathryn could barely contain herself when she saw the blood and bruising on the side of Chakotay's face.

"Tom?" She could hear the shudder in her voice as she silently asked all the questions she couldn't bear to hear the answers to.

Tom had already thrown his gauntlets off and was dabbing at the wound with a wet cloth. He lifted the older man's eyelids with one hand while feeling for a pulse with his other hand. He shook his head in frustration. "Without a tricorder, I can't tell much of anything. His pulse is strong and his pupils are a little slow, but at least they're equally responsive. I don't know. The only thing we can do is wait and see if he wakes up."

Kathryn bit her lip and then spoke as strongly as she could manage. "Get his armor off, and get him cleaned up. Make sure he's comfortable."

"Aye, Captain." Tom stood up. "I'm sorry; I don't know what else to do."

She patted his arm. "He'll be fine, Tom. I know you've done everything you can."

B'Elanna gently pulled on Kathryn's good arm. "Come on, Captain. Let's get your armor off."

She allowed B'Elanna to pull her into the larger part of the tent, and she banished the tears she felt forming. Neither a queen nor a captain had any right to shed them, she chastised herself. It may have been Q's fault they were here, but it was her decision that they join in the fighting. Just because the army and the queen had to fight this war didn't mean her officers needed to be risking life and limb as well. Ironically, it was Caitlin's presence that scolded her. There was nothing to be done about it now.

For the first time since this whole thing had started, Kathryn turned her anger inward to that portion of her that was the missing queen. Caitlin had been quiet all day; she could shut the hell up right now as well. The last thing Kathryn needed was a young woman instructing her on how to control her emotions.

"Captain?"

Her blue eyes flashed and met B'Elanna's. "What is it, Lieutenant?"

Irritation flared in B'Elanna, and she knew Edana felt it as well. How often had they both seen the woman in front of them close off her emotions and use her title as a shield against the world? How many times had they seen her use her position as a reason to ignore love? B'Elanna sighed, knowing an argument was the last thing anyone needed right now. She gestured at her captain's injured arm. "I need your help to get all of this off."


	3. Chapter 3

_For disclaimers and author's notes, please see chapter 1._

* * *

Kathryn sat slouched in the chair in the dark of the tent, watching Chakotay's quiet breathing. He still lay on the pallet on the floor, and as soon as she'd gotten her armor off, she'd taken up her current position and refused to leave the room. She could tell Caitlin wasn't entirely comfortable being alone in the dark with a half naked man, but Kathryn didn't care. The only time she left Chakotay's side when he was in sick bay was if duty called her away, and she wasn't about to change her habits now.

Taking the chain mail off had been a painful ordeal, but having several hours without all that additional weight on her battered frame was about the best treatment she could receive right now. Even the constant throbbing of her ribs had lessened as she'd remained still over the past several hours. Janeway usually hated sitting still, but her current fatigued state demanded that she rest. She would've been asleep several hours ago if it hadn't been for watching over Chakotay. She kept hoping he'd sit up and argue with her that she should be taking better care of herself.

She'd almost allowed her eyes to close when she heard a groan. Kathryn groaned as well when she moved too quickly out of the chair and down to the ground to be by his side. She held her breath as she watched his eyes moving underneath his eyelids.

"Come on, Chakotay," she breathed quietly.

After several long moments, his eyes fluttered open. He immediately squeezed them shut again with an intense look of pain on his face. Kathryn soaked one of the rags they had kept nearby and dabbed at his forehead with it, talking softly to him. He opened his eyes again and stared at her.

"Caitlin?"

Kathryn's heart broke, fearing she'd actually lost Chakotay. She nodded in answer to his question and kissed her fingertips placing them against his lips. "I'm here."

He blinked a few more times and then gave her a gentle smile. "It's okay, Kathryn. I'm still here, too."

A sob escaped her and tears rolled freely down her face. Chakotay reached up to wipe them from her face but groaned at the movement. Kathryn gave him a half smile and took his hand in hers keeping it down near his chest so he'd be more comfortable.

"What happened?" he asked, closing his eyes against the throbbing in his skull. "I feel like I just went ten rounds with a Nausican."

"No, just one round with several of Buchanan's men, but one of them had a shield that they used like a baseball bat."

"Someone should tell them that's very unsportsmanlike," he grimaced. "Where's the Doc when you actually want him?"

"I know what you mean." She sat up with some difficulty but kept a hold of his hand.

Chakotay saw how stiffly she held herself and knew she was in pain, too. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." She chuckled slightly as he frowned at her answer and then swore because even that hurt. She took pity on him. "I'm much better now that you're awake."

"That bad, huh?"

"We just didn't know," she ducked her head. "I thought you were dead. When Tom came riding up, all we could see was your horse with an empty saddle."

Her voice caught, and she stopped talking. Chakotay rubbed circles on her palm with his thumb, giving her the time she needed.

"I thought I lost you, Chakotay."

He almost didn't hear her because she had whispered it so faintly. "I'm still here, Kathryn. I didn't leave you."

"But I thought you had," she said, raising her head to look at him. "And it nearly killed me."

Chakotay slowly rose until he was on his elbows. "I love you, Kathryn. I would never leave you."

She stared into his warm, dark eyes and then leaned forward until her lips brushed against his. She paused, not going any further, and then he was kissing her back. Forgetting everything but the man in front of her, Kathryn reached her hand up to his face at the same time that his arm snaked around her to pull her body closer to his. They both gasped in pain, ending the kiss.

"I have to lie back down," Chakotay groaned.

Kathryn's eyes watered as the sharp pain in her ribs slowly receded to its normal level of throbbing. When she finally felt like she could speak, she looked down to see that Chakotay's eyes were closed again, but he had a smile on his face.

"That was some kiss, Commander," she said, placing her hand on his chest.

He trapped her hand with one of his own. "You always take my breath away, Kathryn, but that's the first time you've almost made me pass out."

A few minutes passed in silence as they both regained their balance.

"Caitlin," Kathryn cleared her throat feeling the young woman's discomfort at asking such a direct question, "would like to know if Dagen is okay."

Chakotay cracked open one eye, then smiled. "He's fine, and he sends his love."

Kathryn felt shocked to the core and knew it was Caitlin's emotions running rampant. It must've shown on her face because Chakotay noticed.

"Kathryn, are you all right?"

She almost giggled but caught herself before it slipped completely out. "I'm fine. You, uh, _he_ just caught her by surprise."

Chakotay smiled at the joy on Kathryn's face and hoped that at least some of it was hers. "Looks like she's okay with it though."

"Yes. I'd say so," Kathryn said, trying to control the younger woman's enthusiasm. "I just hope she doesn't expect me to start doing cartwheels."

"And what about you, Kathryn?"

She looked at him curiously for a minute, not understanding what he was asking, and then it dawned on her. "I didn't say it back, did I? You told me you love me, and all I did was kiss you."

"Don't get me wrong," he told her. "I enjoyed the gesture."

She carefully leaned down and gently kissed him again. "I love you too, Chakotay."

He kissed her back. "I hope you don't expect me to start doing cartwheels."

* * *

B'Elanna quietly pushed the flap on the tent back, and was treated to the sight of the command team sound asleep in each other's arms. Kathryn Janeway was using Chakotay's outstretched arm as a pillow and was half curled into his side. She mused that whatever pain their injuries were causing them, they weren't feeling it at the moment, and she could tell Edana agreed with her. She hated, absolutely hated, to wake the sleeping couple but figured it was better her than someone else.

Knowing both of the sleeping figures had battle honed, red alert reflexes, B'Elanna settled for staying near the foot of the pallet and gently shaking one of Janeway's legs. She woke with a start, grabbing for her weapon and waking Chakotay in the process.

"It's just me," B'Elanna said, holding her hands up.

"Oh, God," Kathryn grimaced in pain and lay back down. "What is it, B'Elanna?"

B'Elanna smothered a grin. Her captain sounded like she had a frog in her throat. "If you're planning on keeping that appointment, we need to get you suited up."

Chakotay frowned, touching the side of his face gingerly. "What appointment?"

B'Elanna glanced at Kathryn and decided to let her handle this one. "I'll be out front."

Janeway slowly righted herself until she was sitting up straight. She carefully turned and looked down at Chakotay. "I'm meeting Buchanan at midfield to accept his surrender."

"What?!" Chakotay shouted and sat up. The throbbing in his head exploded, and the tent began to spin. Kathryn took the opportunity to put some physical and emotional distance between them.

"Please don't argue with me about this, Chakotay. It'll only make your head hurt worse." She reached down and picked up the dagger she'd kept by her side throughout the night. "He sent an envoy yesterday and says he wants to surrender."

"You can't possibly believe him," Chakotay argued, feeling nauseous.

"Of course I don't. That's why I'm taking Tuvok with me." She pushed on before he could retort, "I've demanded there be no weapons. Tuvok will go ahead of me and verify that condition has been met, or there won't be a meeting."

"I'm going with you."

Kathryn let him try and stand without her help. Turning slightly green, he only made it to his knees. She leaned over and kissed the top of his head before leaving the room. "Not this time, Chakotay."

Chakotay was furious. At himself. At her. At the others. Obviously everyone was in on it, or B'Elanna wouldn't have woken them up this morning. The 'no weapons' rule wouldn't make a bit of difference to him if he was trying to capture Kathryn, and Dagen was damn sure Buchanan wouldn't care, either. If Buchanan couldn't have the Lady Caitlin, then he'd make sure no one else could. Kathryn would follow her own rules when no one else did, and she'd end up getting herself killed. Using the chair as a crutch, Chakotay finally made it to his feet and stumbled through the curtain into the larger part of the tent.

"Chakotay!" Tom jumped up and helped the stumbling Commander. "You shouldn't be up."

Chakotay let himself be seated on the chair near the desk and glared across the tent. She definitely meant to do it. She and B'Elanna already had half her armor on, and she just shook her head at him. "Go back to bed, Chakotay."

"The hell I will." He slammed his fist down on the table. "Has everyone lost their minds? Or are you just ignoring the fact that the queen is supposed to get killed today?"

"On the contrary, Commander," Tuvok spoke up. "We are ignoring nothing, and we are taking every precaution to ensure that such an event does not occur."

Chakotay stared at the impassive Vulcan. "I can't believe you, of all people, are going along with this, Tuvok."

"It's not his decision." Kathryn's hard, no-nonsense voice cut across the argument, silencing anyone else's input. "This is my call. If there's even a remote chance of achieving peace without another one of my soldiers getting killed, then I have to take it."

"Listen to yourself, Kathryn," he said, exasperated. "These aren't _your_ soldiers. Have you forgotten that?"

"Forgotten what, Chakotay? That I'm a Starfleet officer sworn to uphold the Prime Directive and not interfere with alien cultures? Forgotten that I have my own crew and ship to look after?" Her expression hardened. "No, I haven't forgotten. Not even for a second. This entire situation is ludicrous, but we're in it, whether we like it or not. If I can step out of this tent and bring an end to a war that has been going on for three years, then you, of all people, should know I am damn well going to do it."

He sighed. She'd made up her mind, and there was going to be no changing it, but he had to try. "You heard Q. The only way peace is achieved is for the queen to die."

"I'm not planning on getting killed, Chakotay." She fastened her last belt, so her sword hung at her side. "This planet is just going to have to find peace another way."

* * *

Tuovk and B'Elanna once again flanked her as they looked out over the battlefield. The rolling field of green grass that she first set eyes upon a few days ago was muddied, chopped, and disturbed. Evidence of the intense fighting that had taken place. Her soldiers were formed and ready, but it was supposed to be only for a show of force. The word that Buchanan was going to surrender had spread quickly throughout the camp, and the men had congratulated her on the well fought campaign as she passed through their ranks. A few of the men had even called her 'captain' as they'd heard it was an acceptable battlefield nickname for her. Kathryn could feel Caitlin's confusion at the unfamiliar moniker, but she just accepted it with her half smile and waved back at the soldiers.

Kathryn turned in her saddle to look behind her when she heard riders. She couldn't help but smile as Tom and Chakotay approached. He'd insisted on being there, and although he looked paler than she'd ever seen him, he was sitting upright in the saddle without assistance. He held her eyes with his, and it almost felt like a caress. She knew he was with her despite their earlier argument.

The five of them sat shoulder to shoulder and watched as a single rider rode slowly out to midfield.

Kathryn nodded to herself and then reached up to untie the makeshift sling.

"Captain?" Tom asked worriedly.

She slowly lowered her arm until her hand rested on her thigh. "No point in letting him see he has an advantage to start with."

Tom didn't look happy about it, but he didn't say anything further. Kathryn withdrew her sword and handed it to B'Elanna. She shared one last look with Chakotay and then spurred her horse forward with Tuvok riding next to her.

As they approached midfield, Tuvok moved ahead of her, and she slowed her pace, allowing her 'priest' to assess that the conditions of the meeting had been met. She studied the man known as Buchanan and at the sight of him felt Caitlin's unease increase. Kathryn examined the memory of their last meeting and understood why.

Buchanan had actually gotten the young queen alone and away from her escort with promises of a stroll through his gardens while they talked about an alliance. His idea of an alliance was for her to be his bride, and he had no intention of waiting until their wedding night to make her his. Buchanan had trapped her against a wall and already had his hand under her skirts and on her thigh when Dagen had rescued her. The only thing that had stayed Dagen's sword that night was that they would've never gotten out of the castle if he'd killed the bastard.

Tuvok rode back to her. "He appears to be unarmed."

"Anything else?"

"He will not capitulate."

Kathryn raised an eyebrow. "One of your hunches, Tuvok?"

"You may call it that."

"Noted." She gave him a nod. "Let's get this show on the road."

The two of them approached, and Buchanan gave them an arrogant smile. "Lady Caitlin, I'm so pleased you could join me. I'd heard you had been wounded on the battlefield, but I know as a royal you would never take part in such vulgarities."

"You and I do not share the same definition of vulgar," she countered. "I _was_ on the battlefield with my men, but you should know better than to listen to rumors. I'm sure my wound was greatly exaggerated."

"As were your deeds, I'm sure," he sneered. "Tell me; are you afraid to speak with me alone?"

"The last time we were alone ended with my knight's blade at your neck. You could say Liam's presence is more for your protection than my own." Kathryn straightened in her saddle. "The time for pleasantries is over. You requested this meeting to discuss the terms of your surrender."

"Dismiss your priest, girl. Or there will be no surrender."

Kathryn glanced at Tuvok. They'd known this was a possibility. They'd also known there was no way to refuse it. "Thank you, Liam. You're excused."

Tuvok nodded and backed his horse away until he held the same position where she'd waited for him.

Buchanan tried to stare her down. Caitlin may have ceded to his insolence, but Janeway had faced down far too many adversaries to be intimidated by him. She merely raised an eyebrow, causing him to break the stalemate first. "What do you expect to happen here, girl?"

Janeway continued to glare at him for another minute as the noon sun beat down on both of them. "I expect this war will come to an end based on what happens here today."

"You don't actually think I'm going to turn over my army to some child queen? The only reason you were ever born is because your bitch of a mother probably whored herself to some stable boy."

Caitlin bristled at the insult to her heritage, but Janeway's face remained impassive as she spoke. "I take it my mother spurned your advances as well."

"Why you insolent little…."

Janeway cut him off midsentence. "If you are not here to surrender than this meeting is at an end. My army stands ready to continue the fight. Does yours?"

He chuckled. "You should know that I have called up my allies, and the army you fought yesterday has now doubled in size. The men under my command now outnumber yours two to one. This meeting will end with _you_ doing the surrendering."

Kathryn's throat went dry, but she kept her expression frozen. "It'll be a cold day in hell before I surrender to the likes of you."

He actually smiled at her response, and that worried her more than the threat of extra forces. He responded with his voice raised. "Then you leave me no choice."

Kathryn and Caitlin tensed, expecting a rain of arrows or his men to come storming across the field. What they didn't expect was to see the ground on either side of Buchanan's horse begin to move. Four men, all aiming cross bows directly at her, stood from holes dug in the ground that had been covered by blankets of earth. Kathryn's eyes locked with Buchanan's, and with blood roaring in her ears at being caught unaware, she saw his mouth move as he spoke the order.

"Kill her."

Kathryn spurred her horse into a high rear, with his front hooves almost hitting Buchanan's horse. She felt one bolt slide past her close enough to tug at her hair, and she heard her horse whinny in pain. Her mount had just absorbed a bolt meant for her. The other two men hesitated with their shots until her horse planted its feet, and then they pulled their triggers.

Their aim was true.

Both bolts hit Kathryn square in the chest. She felt the pressure from their impact and could hear Caitlin's scream in her mind. She looked down and watched as the reins to her horse fell from her hands. Warm liquid swelled in her mouth, and she slumped in her saddle, slipping to the side. Kathryn heard a roar and lolled her head to the side, expecting to see the sky. Tuvok's face loomed in her vision, and she smiled, knowing he wouldn't let her fall.

Kathryn heard a commotion and then felt the ground beneath her. The faces above her went in and out of focus. She couldn't seem to concentrate, but she was happy to see all of her friends. Liam and B'Elanna. Tom and Edana. Conlan and Tuvok. But one was missing, and she was sure it was her fault. She'd told him not to come.

"Tell him…sorry." She coughed against the liquid in her mouth and saw the red spray. So this was it. She really was dying. She tried reaching up with her hand, and B'Elanna grasped it.

"Hang on, Captain."

"I…tried…"

"Save your breath. Don't try to talk."

That was Tom.

"Be sure….he knows…"

And then Chakotay was there. He hadn't left her after all.

"Hold on, Kathryn! Hold on!"

The pain from her ribs and her shoulder were gone, but she felt a pressure settling on her chest that made it difficult to breathe. None of that mattered. He was with her. "Didn't…want to…leave you."

Tears were streaming down his face. "Don't you die on me, Kathryn."

"…love you…"

She could hear him scream her name, but she couldn't see him anymore. She couldn't see anything. Caitlin was crying, and Kathryn wished she could offer the girl comfort, but the weight on her chest continued to press down on her until she knew nothing more.


	4. Chapter 4

_For disclaimers and author's notes, please see chapter 1._

* * *

"NOOOO!!"

"Doctor to Commander Chakotay."

Chakotay's head snapped up, and he stared at his surroundings. He was in his quarters on Voyager. He looked down at his hands, expecting to see them stained with blood. But they were clean, and he was wearing his uniform. He looked around frantically. He had just been holding…but then where was she?

"Commander Chakotay, please respond."

His hand shook as he reached for his badge. "Go ahead."

"I need you to report to sickbay immediately."

The Doctor signed off before he could respond. His thoughts were racing. If he was back…did that mean? He stumbled out of his quarters and headed for sickbay. "Computer is Captain Janeway currently aboard Voyager?"

"Affirmative."

"What's her location?"

"Captain Janeway is in sickbay."

Chakotay thought the turbolift couldn't possibly move any slower, but it gave him a moment to think. The gash on his arm seemed to be healed, and the continuous throbbing in his head had disappeared. If his injuries hadn't followed him back to Voyager, then surely hers hadn't either. But then why was she in sickbay? If she wasn't injured then she'd be fine. Except the Doctor had called him only seconds after his return. As soon as the lift doors opened, he pushed his way past two startled crewmen and hurtled down the corridor.

Chakotay skidded through the doors of the sickbay and ran straight into B'Elanna. He barely glanced down at her before trying to move past her, towards the surgical bay where he could see the Doctor and Tom working. She held onto him and blocked him from going further.

"Hold on, Chakotay. You can't go back there."

"Is it Kathryn?" he asked, trying to get past the engineer.

B'Elanna dug her heels in and steered him into the Doctor's office. "Yes, but she's still hurt. You've got to stay out of their way."

"What's wrong with her?" He leaned his head against the clear partition separating the office from the surgical bay. He could see her now. Kathryn was there, and that fact alone was almost enough. The diagnostic arm was obscuring her, but he could tell she was wearing her uniform pants and boots instead of the armor he'd so recently seen her in. He glanced away from her long enough to look at the Doctor. The hologram and Tom were working urgently, and in perfect tandem.

B'Elanna's voice startled him from his scrutiny. "You know what's wrong with her. You were there and saw exactly what I saw."

Chakotay spun around and looked her up and down. "You aren't limping, B'Elanna, and I don't have a concussion. So you tell me, why is she still hurt, and we aren't?"

"Commander, the one person that could answer that question is Q." Tuvok joined them in the office. "He has never felt the need to explain himself, nor would I expect him to start now."

"I think I resent that remark." Q appeared in his usual fashion. "After all, why should I explain myself…"

"To mere mortals?" Chakotay growled, slamming Q against the bulkhead and finishing the remark for him. "What did you do to her?"

Q looked down at the man holding him pinned against the wall. "Do you realize that I could turn you into a Hupyrian beetle for this?"

Chakotay's hands twisted in the front of the uniform jacket. "Do I look like I care?"

Q huffed and disappeared, reappearing on the other side of the office. "Oh calm down, Chuckles. You know I'm quite fond of Kathy. I would never harm her intentionally."

"What do you call that?" B'Elanna waved a hand towards the surgical bay.

"Well, those injuries had to be inflicted on someone. Do you really think those medieval barbarians would be able to treat something like this?" Q took a step back as Tuvok held out an arm to restrain the Commander. "And to think I always thought of you as Kathy's lap dog. I might just have to elevate you to bull dog instead."

"Q!"

"What? Your Doctor assured me he could fix a few holes in her."

"Yes, well, you could've been more specific," the Doctor commented, joining them in the crowded office. He turned towards Chakotay. "I've managed to get her stabilized."

"See, I told you."

The Doctor frowned at Q before returning his attention to the Commander. "She had several very serious wounds."

Q scoffed.

"A punctured lung and perforated aorta are life threatening injuries," the Doctor exclaimed, closing in on Q. "Not to mention the broken ribs and trauma to her shoulder. When you asked me if I could repair a few slight injuries, this is not what I had in mind."

"Doctor, is the Captain going to recover?" Tuvok asked, displaying the only calm demeanor in the room.

"Yes," the hologram answered, turning away from Q. "She'll have some tenderness and be weak for awhile, but given her stubborn nature I'm sure she'll be fine. No thanks to Q."

Q frowned and noticed all the frowns directed at him. "You bipeds are a very ungrateful lot. After all the trouble I went to, all you can do is complain about a little muscle pain. I'm sure Kathy will thank me when she wakes up."

"Thank you for what? Getting her shot?" B'Elanna asked incredulously.

"She might," Q said, earning another scornful look. He pointed out through the glass. "But she'll probably thank me for that."

Everyone turned to look and saw Chakotay standing next to the Captain's biobed, holding her hand and gently kissing her forehead.

* * *

Kathryn's chest hurt. She wanted to rub the area in an effort to ease the sensation, but she couldn't move her hand. It felt like it was trapped under something. She finally got her eyes open and gasped with the realization that she was in Voyager's sickbay. The pressure on her hand disappeared as Chakotay's head popped up on the side of the bed.

"Kathryn, you're awake."

His hair was disheveled, and he had lines on his face where he'd been sleeping. Kathryn thought he was the best sight she'd ever seen. She smiled at him.

"Hi."

Chakotay got to his feet and cupped her face with his hand. "We've got to stop meeting like this."

She kissed his fingertips and then closed her eyes again, exhaling a sigh of pain. "What happened?"

Chakotay opened his mouth to explain what little he understood, but then just shrugged instead. "Q."

"Q?"

"You called, my dear sweet Kathy?" Q appeared with a bundle of roses.

"No."

"Now really, is that any way to treat someone who rescued you and the little queen from certain death?"

"You dumped her here, and the Doctor saved her from certain death, Q," Chakotay said angrily.

"Details." Q waved him off. "The point is that my plan worked perfectly."

Chakotay started to argue, but Kathryn squeezed his hand and he relented. She sighed, "Q, get to the point."

"Fine. It should brighten your day to know that since you kept the injuries that were inflicted on the queen's body, when she returned to it, she lived. Turns out they were only flesh wounds." Q clapped his hands together. "And since Tattoo Boy here took out all of the shooters and that pompous little man, there was no one around to dispute her lack of injuries."

Kathryn and Chakotay exchanged a look. "But you said she had to be martyred to inspire her people."

"Yes, well, from where her men were standing it looked like she'd been killed, and it gave them all the inspiration they needed. And all of those allies that rodent had called up were disgusted by his devious act and refused to fight with his army. Not to mention they were impressed with a mere slip of a girl standing up to him." He continued, "The battle was over quickly and little Caitlin made a remarkable recovery. She's finally been able to take her throne and reign over a peaceful countryside. She also threw out one certain rule, and she's gone on to marry that knight of hers. Once again peace reigns throughout that world."

"How did you convince her to return?"

"Junior had already grown bored with her and was ready to move on to something else, so I assured him that if she returned she wouldn't be hurt." Chakotay rolled his eyes at the mention of Junior's behavior, but Q pressed on. "Actually, it was you two lovebirds that finally did it."

"I beg your pardon?" Kathryn asked, feeling color creep into her cheeks.

"That little exchange of declarations of love the two of you had - or should I say the four of you had," Q laughed. "She was in love with that pedantic knight of hers, and once he finally spilled the beans about having feelings for her, she couldn't wait to get in his arms. Assuming of course, that she wasn't going to die as soon as she was back in her body."

"Of course." Kathryn put her hand to her head and winced at the twinge of pain the movement produced.

Chakotay noticed. "Q, why couldn't you just heal Kathryn once you got her back here? Since you're so fond of her, you could save her a lot of pain."

"I would never do that to you, Chuckles."

"To me?"

"Of course, all that convalescent time she's going to need. Long hours alone in her quarters with just the two of you. Massaging sore muscles. Helping her slip into something more comfortable."

"Q," Kathryn's voice held a note of warning.

"Now Kathy, you had your chance with me." Q flourished a kiss on her forehead and gave her a wink. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

With a snap, Q disappeared.

* * *

"How exactly am I supposed to write this?"

Chakotay looked up from the couch in time to see Kathryn throw a PADD off of her desk. He couldn't help but smile at the look of exasperation on her face. It had been five days since their misadventure with Q, and Kathryn was attempting to write up her report on their 'away mission'. She was scheduled to return to duty the next morning with the understanding that she'd take it easy. Her injuries were completely healed, with the exception of a sore muscle every now and then, which Chakotay really couldn't complain too much about.

Since their return, he'd spent a lot of time in Kathryn's quarters. The first day had been awkward. They'd made their confessions to each other on the planet and in sickbay, but now that their alter egos were gone and their feelings were no longer amplified, it seemed strange to just throw away all the restraint they'd built up over the past seven years. They'd never stopped caring for each other, but it seemed the walls they'd each built up around their hearts ever since New Earth were still present upon their return to their normal lives. Oddly enough, the same occurrence that had prompted a change of parameters on New Earth all those years ago was just as much of an instigator now as it had been then.

Kathryn's shoulder was sore. It was perfectly understandable, considering the trauma she had so recently endured. They'd finished dinner that first night, and in a moment of candor, Kathryn had admitted her shoulder was still paining her. Chakotay had offered to help her relax by massaging it for her. Unlike New Earth, this massage had ended quite differently, with the two of them defining all new parameters that included the bedroom, the bathtub, and her desk.

Chakotay stood from the couch and picked the PADD up off the floor. "Everyone else managed to write their reports, Kathryn."

"Yes, I read all of the other reports," she said, looking up at him. "They were quite sparse in the details. Mine, however, will be picked over with a fine tooth comb once I send it in the next data stream and the admiralty sees the letter Q."

"I think once they see the letter 'Q' in the subject line, they'll understand just about anything you could possibly put in there."

"How could they understand it? I barely understand it, and I was there." She leaned back in her chair. "Combined personalities. Four days on the planet versus five minutes on Voyager. Interaction with an alien culture that is certainly not warp capable. Oh, and injuries that waylaid the captain for almost a week when all other personnel involved are perfectly healthy."

Chakotay propped his hip on her desk. "Kathryn, what's really bothering you?"

She tried to glare at him for his perceptiveness, but it was a half hearted attempt. He waited her out until she finally sighed. "How much do I tell them about us?"

He took a minute to think it over. "I think you should leave out the part about us having sex on your desk."

"Chakotay!" She slapped his thigh. He watched as the color rose in her cheeks at the thought, but he also saw the twinkle in her eye that told him how much she'd love to do just that. "Can you imagine? They really would think I'd lost my mind."

"I don't know why you have to tell them anything." He pulled her to her feet. "You should learn to be sparse in your details."

"Hmmmm." She leaned into his hand as he stroked her face. "But I do so enjoy being thorough."

"Yes, I've noticed." He gave her a quick kiss. "All you have to put on there is that Q was involved. End of story."

She looked at him quizzically. "How do you feel about that, anyway?"

"Feel about what?"

"Q being responsible for us finally getting together," she clarified.

"Oh, I don't know about that. I'd say Dagen and Caitlin had a much stronger hand in it than Q did." He started drawing her slowly away from the desk with his hands on her waist. "Q wasn't there when we said what we said."

"Are you sure?"

"And he wasn't here when I offered to rub your shoulder." He slipped his hands under her shirt and guided her backwards towards the bedroom. Kathryn was vaguely aware that she was being herded, but she couldn't seem to mind as Chakotay's hands roamed further up her back.

"And he damn sure better not have been here anytime after that."

The backs of Kathryn's knees hit the bed, and she fell onto it, dragging Chakotay down with her. He leaned up away from her, dragging his hands out from beneath her. "And I'm pretty sure he's not here now."

He turned his attention towards the buttons on her shirt and began undoing them very slowly. "So the only real question is: how does Kathryn feel about us finally getting together?"

She sighed, reveling in the kisses he placed on her exposed skin. "I feel like doing cartwheels."

finis

* * *

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!


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